Navigating the Legal Landscape of Online Gambling in Europe

Online gambling is becoming legal in more and more European Union countries. Compared to a few decades ago, it is now possible to try your luck at legal and licensed online casinos & sportsbooks in many more countries. This allows sites like xon bet casino to offer their services to a larger number of players. However, there are still EU countries that only recognize some forms of iGaming as legal, regulate it as a monopoly, or outright consider it illegal. Here, we will take a look at the legal landscape of online gambling in the European Union and provide you with up-to-date information on the subject.

EU Countries Where Online Gambling Is Legal and Regulated

As of May 2025, online gambling is legal in the following EU countries:

• United Kingdom: Although no longer part of the European Union, it was still a member of the EU when it legalized gambling and has regulations that set an example for all other countries. The United Kingdom legalized both online casinos and sportsbooks in 2005. These businesses are licensed and regulated by the UK Gambling Commission (UKGC). Anyone over 18 can legally try their luck. It also offers self-exclusion services with a national database called GamStop.
• Belgium: Land-based & online gambling have been legal since 1999 and are regulated by the Belgian Gaming Commission. However, the conditions for obtaining a license are quite strict and only land-based casino owners are allowed to open a website. 
• Bulgaria: Legalized online casinos and sportsbooks in 2012. The National Revenue Agency (NRA) is responsible for overseeing both, and so far, 46 operators have been granted licenses. Another 25 operators are expected to be licensed in 2025. 
• Croatia: The Games of Chance Act is the main regulation of gambling, and supervision is carried out by the Ministry of Finance. Licenses are issued for 15 years, and due to low tax rates, Croatia is expected to become one of the EU gambling hubs in the coming years.
• Malta: Malta was one of the first EU countries to legalize gambling services with the Lotteries and Gaming Authority Act. Malta Gaming Authority (MGA) issues licenses that are considered valid not only in Malta but also in other countries. It is the most respected licensing agency after the UKGC.
• Sweden: Legal since 2019 and regulated by Spelinspektionen. There is no limit to the number of licenses that can be issued. However, it is preferred by few operators due to high fees and tax rates.
• Romania: Legal casinos and sportsbooks are licensed and regulated by the National Gambling Office (NGO). Unlike many other neighbors, it allows games of chance and sports betting services to be offered on the same platform with a single license. Licenses are valid for 10 years, and operators are required to establish a local company in Romania.
• Denmark: Online casinos and sportsbooks are allowed, but separate licenses are required for each. Spillemyndigheden is the agency responsible for overseeing these services and determining what the license conditions will be. Until 2010, all these services could only be offered by Danske Spil as a monopoly, but when it became clear that this was not efficient, a new Gaming Act came into force, and independent operators were allowed.
• Italy: An agency called AAMS (Amministrazione Autonoma dei Monopoli di Stato) has been licensing and supervising local operators since 2010, but we can say that there are slightly stricter regulations compared to other EU countries. For example, there is a maximum limit for the number of licenses that can be issued, and the AAMS sets the minimum/maximum bets for skill games.

The rest of the list is quite long, so let’s summarize the other countries in a table:

EU Countries with Partial Legality or Monopoly Systems

In the following EU countries, online gambling is either a monopoly or only certain forms are allowed: 

• Austria: It is legal but can only be offered by certain operators.
• Finland: Only government-controlled organizations can offer these services. 
• Germany: Each state has its own regulations, legal in some, not in others. Where it is legal, it is mostly a monopoly.
• Poland: It is legal but with very strict restrictions, e.g. only games authorized by the government can be offered. 

There are other countries with stricter regulations on online casinos and sportsbooks: let’s take a look at them too.

EU Countries Where Online Gambling Is Illegal or Highly Restricted

In the following countries, online gambling is either completely illegal or strictly restricted: 

• Cyprus: All forms of it are illegal, except for sports betting.
• France: Everything except sports betting and skill games (poker) is illegal.
• Hungary: Only land-based gambling is legal and can only be offered in government-controlled casinos. 
• Luxembourg: All forms of it are illegal.

In the near future, regulations in the countries that currently have restrictive laws may change, but even if they don’t, the number of countries in the EU where you can try your luck legally is already quite high. Whether you want to play casino games or place sports bets, we wish you the best of luck!